Proctological support



May 19, 1959 HQA. SPRINGER PRocToLoGICAL SUPPORT Filed Jan. 16, 1958United States Patent O 2,887,151 1 PROCTOLOGICAL SUPPORT Henry A.Springer, Cincinnati, Ohio Application January 16, 1958, Serial No.709,267

2 Claims. (Cl. 155-166) The invention relates to means for enabling ahuman patient of a physician, surgeon, or the like, to assume andautomatically maintain desirable position for his proctological orsigmoidoscopic examination. j

In the past al1 physicians, surgeons and other examiners haveexperienced ditiiculty and trouble inhaviug patients assume, maintainand keep a desired position for an examination of the lower intestine byuse of a hollow. tube as a proctoscope with light rays projecting meansto provide illumination through the tube so that the physician, surgeonor other examiner may clearly see and examine a selected portion or allportions of the lower intestine or bowel. Obviously for efficiency thephysician, surgeon or other `examiner must quickly and with the leastpossible discomfort to the patient insert the forward end of the tube or1proctoscope into and through the anus and rectum of the patient, theanus being the terminal portion of the rectum and the excrementalorifice of the human body, The sphincter ani, or the sphincter of theanus, operates automatically to close the anus and rectum by utilizationof muscles, namely the sphincter ani proper, or sphincter externus whichconsists of thin, at muscular fibers supplied by hemorrhoidal branchesof neryesvfrom the :sacral "plexus, "surrounding the anus. Like mostsphincters, it consists of symmetrical lateral halves -united by a raphein front of and behind the opening it incloses. The sphincter isautomatic and voluntary, of striated muscular fibers, and ordinarilymaintains its automatic contractility because it yields by reex actionto the pressure of the contents of the bowel.

. Therefore, if the position of the patient being examined by thephysician, surgeon or other examiner is such that the front end of thetube can be inserted into the lumen of the bowel with slight or minimumfri-ctional contact with the anus and rectum, and therefore withpractically no discomfort to the patient there is little or no tendencyfor the rectum to be in a spastic state. Under these circumstancescomparativelyrsmall quantities of air must be injected by the physician,surgeon or other examiner into the tube to overcome the contraction ofthe bowel or intestine at the inner end of the tube. This isadvantageous particularly for comfort of the patient, because when largequantities of air are injected into the large bowel, to cause the bowelto dilate the patient usually experiences colic or similar pains andtherefore he has a desire to pass gas from his bowel. This passing ofgas interferes with the physician, surgeon or other examiner making aquick and efficient examination. And then again a nervous patient maybecome panicky when air is injected into his bowel through the tubewhereby the sphincter may suddenly relax with the ultimate result thatit is very diticult for the physician, surgeon or other examiner toretain the tube in proper position for a thorough and eflicientexamination. Also sudden relaxation of the sphincter may cause moistwaves of air to pass from the anus and contact the facial areas, of theexaminer, and eye glasses, thus obscuring his vision. And again, manyinconveniences and discomforts are suffered by yboth the 2,887,151Patented May 19, 195.9V

patient `and the physician, surgeon or other examiner when asigmoidoscope, proctoscope or other tube is inserted into and throughthe anus and rectum of a patient, who is in an improper position. i

`An important object of the invention is to provide simple, eicient andpractical means to enablea patient to be examined by a physician,surgeon and other examining person with minimum discomfort, by use ofY aproctoscope, tube or sigmoidoscope, and cause the patient toautomatically relax and lose considerable control ,ot the exer musclesof the thighs and abdomen.

Other objects of the invention are to provide eflicienty and practicalmeans to assist a patient to naturally and automatically maintain aposition desired by the physi cian, surgeon or other examiner during hisexamination by use of a sigmoidoscope, proctoscope or similar tubeIwhereby the physician, surgeon and other examining person may with leastdiscomfort to the patient insert a sigmoidoscope, proctoscope, or tubethrough the anus and with its front end at a desired location withrespect to the lower or large intestine; and to provide means of assistsaid patient to automatically relax, assume and maintain a desiredposition during the time he is being examined by the physician, surgeonor other examiner and with minimum physical eiort and discomfort tosaid` j patient.

Further, and other objects, and details of the invention, will beapparent from a careful study and reading of the: accompanyingspecification, claims, and reference to they drawings. l 2

The invention consists in the combination of the ele`A ments,arrangements of parts and in the details of thel construction, ashereinafterV claimed.

In the drawings: Y 1

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the invention;

Fig. `2` is `the sameshowing the rear of the invention;y

Fig; 3 is an assembly view-of parts shown supporting; a human being;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of parts of the invention shown brokenaway; and

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of the invention showing a human beingpositioned thereon.

In the preferred construction of the invention I provide the rectangulartable 1 which comprises the vertical ends 2 and 3, the vertical frontand rear sides, respectively, 4 and 5, the top 6 and the bottom 7,.

Suitably iixed to the ends 2 and 3, of the table 1, are the rigidvertical side-boards 9 and 10, respectively. The upper ends 11 and 12 ofthe side-boards 9 and 10, extend upwardly from the top 6.

The bottom 7, of the table 1, is supported by a suitable horizontalsupport or surface 13 such as a oor of a room, top of a table, or thelike, which is in horizontal alignment with the bottom 7 of the box.

The top 6, of the table 1, is inclined downwardly and rearwardly, forpurposes hereinafter explained.

Detachablyxed or connected with the rear side or edge 14, of the top 6,are the spaced apart stii and unyielding vertical plates 15 and 16 whichextend upwardly from the top 6. The space between the plates 15 and 16is vacant and unobstructed. In the lower ends of each plate 15 and 16 issuitably fixed the vertical rod 17, shown inFig. 4, which extendsdownwardly from the plate and into the hole 18.

Fixed to the upper ends of the plates 15 and 16, respectively, are theupper ends of the downwardly and forwardly extending spaced apart stiiand unyielding supports 19 and 20 whose lower ends are fixed to thestiff and unyielding platform 21 whose side edges are aligned with theouter side edges of the supports 19 and 20. The space between thesupports 19 and 20 is vacant and un obstructed.

assainir .f

When the table 1 is in practical use the knees 22 and 23, of the humanbeing, or patient 24, are supported 'by the top 6, of the box andpreferably with the knees 22 and 23, respectively in contact with theinner sides of theside-boards 9 and10, whereby the knees are spaced apredetermined distance from each other. The table is supported by thefloor 25 and the lower edge ofthe 'platform 21 also rests upon thefloor. The elbows `26 and 27, of the human being 24, are supported byfloor 25 and the head 28 rests between the elbows upon the forearms ofthe human being, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5, whereby the trunk 29 of thepatient or human being, is inclined downwardly and forwardly to allowthe intestines (not shown) to move or hang away from the buttocks 30 andtoward the head of the human being, and particularly -in the space 31between the supports 19 and 20.

The top 6, of the table 1 slants or is inclined downwardly andrearwardly which aids Tin angling the legs 32 of the patient 24 in acomfortable upgrade position and with the fronts of his thighs 33 and 34in contact with the rear sides of the plates 15 and 16. The space 31between the supports 19 and Ztl allows the abdomen to sag between thesupports which prevents compression of the abdominal contents.Therefore, a physician, surgeon or other examiner may make an eicientexamination of the lower intestine or bowel of a patient by use of theproctoscope or sigrnoidoscope 35, or other similar instru mentconsisting of a hollow tube with means to project light rays through thetube so that .the examiner may see and examine through the tube aselected portion of the lower intestine or bowel. When the patient ispositioned as shown in Figs. 3 and 5 the proctoscope may be receivedwithout difficulty into the lower bowel or intestine of the patient 17,which is advantageous because it is important that the examiner shallquickly and with the least possible discomfort to the patient insert the`forward or front end of the proctoscope through the anus and rectum ofthe patient vand into the lower or great intestine of the patient.

The invention shown in the drawings, and referred to 'and described inthe above description, is the preferred embodiment of the same. However,I realize that the conditions concurrent with the adoption andutilization of my invention will necessarily vary. Therefore, I de` sireto state that various changes in the details of my invention may beresorted to without sacriiicing any of the advantages of the invention,as dened in the claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A table having a top for receiving the knees of a human being, a pairof spaced apart unyielding vertical plates having` their lower endsdetachably fixed to the rear side of said top, a pair of spaced apartdownwardly and rearwardly extending unyielding supports having theirupper ends connected with the `upper ends of said vertical plates, thespace between said supports being vacant and unobstructed the lower endsof said supports being connected with a platform to support the chest ofa patient while his abdomen is free and unsupported in the space betweensaid downwardly and rearwardly lextending supports, andrneans to retainVsaid 'knees against further spacing from each other.

2. A table having a top for receiving the knees of a human being, a pairof spaced apart vertical plates having their lower ends xed to the rearside of said top, a pair of spaced apart downwardly and rearwardly`extend ing supports having their upper ends connected with the upperends of said vertical plates, the lower ends ofl said supports beingconnected with a stiff and unyielding platform to support the chest of apatient while his abdomen is free and unsupported in the space betweensaid downwardly and rearwardly extending supports, the space betweensaid supports being unobstructed.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS GreatBritain Dec.v 16, 1874

